Latif resigns as Afghanistan coach

Mon, Aug 23 10 08:23 PM

Karachi, Aug 23 (PTI) Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif today resigned as the batting coach of Afghanistan''s national cricket team citing irreconcilable differences with the officials and the Afghan association. Last week, another former Pakistan cricketer Kabir Khan had also stepped down as the head coach of the Afghanistan team after having guided the side for the last two years. Latif later said that he took the decision because too much interference was hindering his ability to perform the duties efficiently. "Kabir also left his job because of the same reason. I was not free to impose my ideas on the team. From the team combination to the match strategy - the Afghanistan Cricket Board officials want to dictate everything," he said. The former wicketkeeper-batsman who recently accompanied Afghanistan team to Scotland, said he was disappointed that despite giving a comprehensive plan to the Afghanistan cricket authorities for development of the game at the grassroot level that included establishment of academies and grounds, nothing had happened. He also made it clear that he wanted the Afghan team to practice more in their own country but the authorities had other ideas. "Since I had a good training session with the Afghan cricketers in Jalalabad, I wanted more such sessions there and Kabul, but the authorities want to hold camps in Sharjah. With such attitude Afghan cricket would go nowhere," Latif said. Latif said that he had formally sent his resignation to the CEO of the ACB Hamid Shinwari. Shinwari, however, had a different story to tell. He claimed that Latif had demanded that if he was going to be the chief coach of the national team he should be given double the salary he was getting as batting coach besides the other benefits. "We approached the Asian Cricket Council but they said they couldn''t afford the demands being made by Rashid Latif. So now we are looking for another coach," he said. Latif had signed on with the Afghan Board on an estimated monthly salary of USD 6000 last month.

Source: Published>